Examples Of Romanticism In The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow

“A drowsy, dreamy influence seems to hang over the land, and to pervade the very atmosphere. Some say that the place was bewitched by a high German doctor, during the early days of the settlement; others, that an old Indian chief, the prophet or wizard of his tribe, held his powwows there before the country was discovered by Master Hendrick Hudson.” Washington Irving wrote The Legend of Sleepy Hollow in 1820. It is about a teacher, Ichabod Crane, who is chased away by the headless horseman. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is the best example of Romanticism. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow demonstrates the tenets of

Romanticism by using folk culture, individuality, and escapism. One characteristic of romanticism is folk culture. This includes fairies, witches, fantasy creatures and ghosts. The best example of this would be when the headless horsemen appeared and attacked Ichabod. After being chased by the headless horsemen, a pumpkin was thrown at him and he seemed to disappear after that. This explains folk culture very well because of how the story includes a ghostly being. Another element in romanticism is individuality. Individuality is when a person is placed against a group or authority. Freedom is emphasized from tradition and

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow demonstrates the tenets of Romanticism by using folk culture using a ghost-like character, individuality by making Ichabod significantly different than the others, and escapism by having Ichabod sing to avoid his paranoid fear of ghostly beings. “From hence the low murmur of his pupils' voices, conning over their lessons, might be heard in a drowsy summer's day, like the hum of a beehive; interrupted now and then by the authoritative voice of the master, in the tone of menace or command; or, peradventure, by the appalling sound of the birch, as he urged some tardy loiterer along the flowery path of